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This paper analyses the determinants of an important component of well-being among individuals aged 50 years or older in eleven European countries: satisfaction with social contacts. We use data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and anchoring vignettes to correct for potential differences in responses scales across countries and socio-demographic groups. On average, older Europeans report being satisfied with their social contacts, but there exist substantial differences across countries: respondents from Northern countries tend to be more satisfied than individuals from Central or Mediterranean countries. Our analysis shows that correcting for response scale differentials alters the country ranking for of satisfaction with social contacts, while it has much less effect on the estimates of what drives within country determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is the elaboration of an instrument to assess quality of life (QL) of aging persons with disability. It has been applied to a sample of 2.292 persons older than 45 years, from different regions of Spain. The need of QL assessment instruments for this group of persons with disability who are aging will allow us to make valid and reliable measures to plan efficient intervention actions and strategies, and has motivated the creation of this Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ). The analysis of the scale psychometric properties shows high internal consistency, Cronbach's alfa of 0,92. Scale dimensionality offers a hexafactorial solution that tests six of the main QL dimensions, such as, physical well being, social inclusion, emotional well being, personal development and self-determination, interpersonal relationship and material well being. These results give evidence of the QLQ suitability to assess the QL, as it is perceived by the sample of our study, the ageing persons with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]